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Reviews and User Stories
A customer wrote this after a month of riding a dual-battery ZAP ElectriCruizer.
Subj: Re: ZAP Follow-up
Date: 5/20/99 1:05:57 PM Pacific Daylight Time
From: (Ron Hardock)
To: (Rob Means)
Well... let me see... generally speaking, yes, I'm quite satisfied with my purchase. I've already put on over 500 km[310 mi]. The 17 km[10.5 mi] journey to my work takes me about 45 minutes or so -- about 38 minutes if I don't include time spent stopped at lights. My top speed is just over 40 km/h[25mph] (going downhill), without peddling, the bike does about 28 km/h[17mph] on a flat road and slows down to about 20 km/h[12.5mph] uphill... but I peddle all the time as well to bring my usual speed a little over 30 km/h[18.5mph]. And I do notice my speed and time improving, which is good to see -- by the end of summer I'll should be in much better shape with this exercise. :-)
I tried just using 1 battery once, and noticed the bike slowing down about a block away from my distination (my work). With 2 batteries, and the light on, last night I did notice that my journey home (about 20 km[12.5 mi], as I took a longer route), also had the same effect of starting to get a little sluggish near my home -- but there was a strong headwind, and the journey home did have some large hills to climb.
[Ron works in Toronto, Canada]
"I have had a ZAP-powered bicycle for test. If anyone is interested, my impressions of this motor can be found at: http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~pattle/nacc/buzzing.htm#zap [And, should you be wondering, it's not me in the pictures; I was on the other side of the camera.]"
I view my ZAP as a set of wings. Before ZAPping my bike, there were times I didn't feel up to pedaling but really hated the thought of driving my emission-spewing auto. With the ZAP I now have a real choice open to me. I can get errands done or get to work without compromising my clean air values.
My ZAP also allows me to control the amount of exercise I get. If I want to kick back and take it easy, I can; if I want to get a great workout, I can do that too. It also takes the pressure off my knees when riding.
Plus its soooooo much cheaper to keep an electric bike on the road than an internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle! ICE's can "eat" you out of house and home. If you want to go with a minimal maintenance vehicle for getting around the town (and that you can even take on the bus/trolley/train to go further), you can't beat a ZAP bike.
- Marcus Johnson, West San Jose
Last summer, my husband and I had the misfortune/opportunity of having one of our cars gutted by an engine fire. I say "opportunity" because we decided to simplify our lifestyle by becoming a one-car, one-electric bike family.
This choice transformed a recreational toy into a fun, reliable, inexpensive, non-polluting transportation vehicle. I am especially pleased that I'm reducing pollution. By reducing monthly car payments, insurance premiums, and maintenance/fuel costs, we are saving money while contributing to our own healthier and happier lifestyle. I use the bike for errands, small shopping trips, local ball games, community events, and a seven-mile commute to work. If I want more exercise, it's easy to disengage the motor. It's a lot more neighborly to ride a bike too! And now that our buses have bike racks, farther trips are convenient.
After many months of use, I continue to discover benefits I had not yet realized. And I am experiencing the joy of simple living more than ever.
- Carol Klein, Milpitas
"As a sufferer of arthritic knees, I was no longer able to bicycle very well with my wife and children. Now, thanks to my new ZAP! solution, I am once again able to join my family on Saturday tours of the sun-kissed Santa Clara Valley."
- Steve Munzel, Milpitas, CA
Subj: Re: notes on your ZAP purchase
Date: 6/10/99 11:53:03 PM Pacific Daylight Time
From: (hcross)
To: (Rob Means)
Rob:
The powerbike has exceeded all my expectations. Today I went to the airport and I put the battery to test on the way back. I did not pedal a single time, plus the light was on all the time for safety. It made it without the light getting any dimmer and it seemed to be ready to take a second round trip
Thanks, Hubert.
Subj: Yes, my Zap story since May 1999
Date: 7/23/99 7:50:27 PM Pacific Daylight Time
From: EGRendler
July 23, 1999
Hello Cyclists and Electric power investigators,
I do enjoy the Zap bike. Its fun and convenient for my commute of about 7 miles. I can recharge my Zap right at work and be ready for the ride home.
I bring my lunch in my rack trunk and office papers and cloths in my pannier. I especially like the quick acceleration at intersections.
Having the large source +12 VDC on the bike allows me to have a bright 14 watt headlight and a bright taillight for safety.
I'm considering putting a clear ZZip fairing on the front of the bike.
Even if the electric power doesn't solve all the pollution problems, the power plants are needed to charge batteries and the old batteries must be disposed of, the electric bike has a good niche for shorter length commutes and has tremendous hobby and sport value.
I can talk more if you have more questions, please email me a eric_rendler@cc.littonatd.com
Thanks, Eric "von Zapper"Super Hillclimber Stories
Subj: Thank-you!!!!!
Date: 8/11/99 10:12:21 PM Pacific Daylight Time
From: gwk@well.com (Greg King)
Thank-you,Thank-you,Thank-you,Thank-you,Thank-you,Thank-you!!!!!!!! I just made my first full circle commute to work today. I got there with power to spare and didn't feel wobbly in the knees. What a treat. After a very long day I left the station after dark. That light is wonderful- you were so right to push it. Also the little charger is great. I was nervous leaving home this morning,yet it was mostly down hill and I soon learned to love the extra help, BUT now on the way home I had to face the HILLLL. Crescent is long and (for me) steep. As I told you, because of the condition of my knees I cannot stand to peddle for that extra power. As I faced the HILLLLL I wondered with dread how far up it I could get with the superclimber. Where, I wondered would I have to get off and walk. Well to my surprise I made it slowly up the whole hill without having to stand up and not out of breath. I made it home the whole way without having to get off and walk.
I'm on my bike again. I'm actually commuting by bike. Rob thank you so much. If there is anything I can do to repay please let me know. What a treat, what a joy this is. Thank-you,Thank-you.! I've been telling everyone about the motor. I'll send them your way. All I want to do now is just keep thanking you.
With much care, Greg
[Editor's note: A few months later Greg added this: Can't tell if I've lost any weight yet, but my knees hurt less, I get up stairs better and my legs feel stronger. Best of all I love riding my bike every day. Thanks-Greg]
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Subj: RE: SUPER HILL-CLIMBER SYSTEM
Date: 3/1/00 6:13:22 PM Pacific Standard Time
From: (ysf)
To: (Rob Means)
Thanks Rob,
Every thing came on Tuesday, So I spent Wednesday setting it up, then a problem you probably don't get over there.......it rained heavily till Saturday so I did not get to play with the bike till Sunday. But it was worth the wait, cycling is now FUN again, just enough effort to make me feel that the extra inches might be getting burnt off but not so much as to fear a embolism.
Yours truly, Richard Eldridge,
Zappy tales
I Drive Zappy to work every day. Hi, I'm David McCall. My home is 2.5 miles from my office and I wanted a nonpolluting, economical, environmentally correct vehicle to get me to my job and back home. I am a single father with 2 children at home. I...
http://veronica.sonoma.edu/zappy/zappy.html-----
ZAPPY Tales
By John Wayland
Well, I've had the Zappy for about a month now, and the two of us are becoming close friends. The electric scooter has moved from just being a fun toy, to a very usable alternative for those short errands I so often make...to the Safeway store (less than a mile round trip), to McDonalds (less than a mile round trip), to the hardware store (about a mile round trip), and down to the local stereo shop (2.2 miles round trip) for various small goodies. With Spring in glorious bloom, what better way to see the daffodils and the pink cherry tree blossoms along the way, then on a nearly silent and zero air pollution scooter? .......
http://www.evworld.com/electricshop/waylands_zappy.htmlSubject: Zapworld customer service story
From: Ken Trough
I didn't have a need for customer service until now. I raised my handlebars to just below the maximum height (as indicated by the mark on the tube). After a couple of weeks (at most) of easy riding I saw a noticeable bend >forward< in my handlebar tube. This was right above the quick release. I was concerned on two fronts. #1, was this some sort of known issue with the handlebars, and #2, fabrication of the part could be difficult. I decided to contact Zapworld at zap@zapworld.com.
I sent an email to that effect this morning at about 12:30AM. I received a response at 9:14AM this morning by Adam Dunn. He said that this was not a known issue, and that since I had not been beating the hell out of my ZAPPY, they'd send me a warranty replacement. It is in the mail, FedEx and I'll receive it in 2-3 days. No problem. No hassle.
I have to say that this is EXCELLENT customer service. Full marks. Couldn't have been better if they wanted to. This has reinforced my perception that this is a good company that cares about it's customers. I just wanted to share that with you all.
-Ken Trough, Modern Zapologist [3/2/00]